SEC to Hold Municipal Securities Hearing

The field hearing will take place July 29 at Rosewood Hall in Homewood, Ala and will discuss distressed communities, small issuers, disclosure, derivatives and pre-trade price transparency, according to the Commission.

“Hearing directly from those who are affected by our policies helps to shape better rules,” said Chairman Mary Schapiro. “That’s especially the case with municipal securities.”

The event is the third in a series of hearings examining issues that affect investors in the municipal securities market, the agency said. The first was held in San Francisco in September, 2010, followed by a hearing in December at the SEC’s headquarters in Washington.

“Our hearing in Jefferson County will allow us to gather real-world insights that are critical to our examination of these timely and important issues,” said SEC Commissioner Elisse Walter, who is chairing the field hearings.

Following the hearings, SEC staff will prepare a report addressing information learned, including their recommendations for further action that the commission should pursue, which may include SEC rulemaking, changes in industry best practices or legislation by Congress.